Taotao was sitting beside the bed, watching over him. The old lady retired to her room when the sun came up, leaving her in charge of taking care of him while she got some sleep. The sunlight was coming into the room through the large window, bathing him in it's light.
She was starting to get more worried as the time passed and he showed no sign of waking up. Her eyes were moving over the bandages. He hasn't moved at all since she was here except for his chest while breathing slowly.
A servant came carrying a small basin filled with warm water in which were mixed herbs and powders used to heal the burns.
Taotao took the washcloth from the servant's hands and sent him out. Her heart started to beat faster while she started taking off the bandages. She started with the face.
But as she leaned closer and started washing his face with the washcloth, she noticed something strange. As soon as the dark, burnt skin met the sunlight, the darkness started to recede and the skin took a more normal color, while the cracked cheeks began to smooth at a fast speed. She stood while looking at him with shock on her face. That healing speed was too fast, faster than she witnessed on anyone until now. Nobody would believe her if she were to tell anyone. At that thought she shook her head. She shouldn't think of betraying his secrets, no matter what those might be.
She took a few breaths to calm herself and proceeded to remove more bandages and the same process began once again.
Her heart raced through her chest and her cheeks turned red as she began taking down the bandages around his midsection. Averting her eyes for a time, she started washing him there, until finally she thought it was fine. Then, once done, she started redressing his bandages. No use others to see what she saw. She didn't know why she was thinking like that, but she did.
When the old lady came inside to watch over him, she told her she washed and redressed his wounds. She simply nodded than took her seat at the head of the bed, with a sigh.
"So tell me, girl. He still didn't give any sign of waking up?"
Taotao shook her head, while her face turned red once again remembering the earlier scene. There was some stirring, but she was not shameless enough to tell the old lady about it.
"Very well. You should go and take a rest. You're tired. After you sleep, you can come back."
Taotao nodded and, after a bow in front of the old lady, she walked out the door. Once she remained alone, Zhao Shuqin leaned closer to the bed and whispered.
"Chen'er, hurry up and return from wherever you went. Where could you be and what did you encounter in order to take such a long time? It's already the third day since you're like this."
***
Yunchen looked around. He was in the middle of a small clearing. In front of him was something resembling an old house. Except for the fact that the walls were full of cracks and the roof was gone, it looked sturdy enough as long as there was not a stronger wind.
He looked at it for a moment, pondering how he reached this place, as there was no visible pathway leading to this place. The trees were too close together to let anyone pass, as their branches entwined, forming a veritable barrier both on the ground as in the air. Seeing there was nobody around, he started exploring the clearing. But he gave up searching when he realized there was nothing of value there.
His eyes returned to the run-down house and he shrugged. As he didn't have anything better to do, he would see what secrets it might hide. He only hoped it won't collapse while he was inside.
As he entered, he felt he was in another place. There were no sign of cracks in the walls and the ceiling was intact, not like what was shown on the outside.
The room was bright and a warm feeling enveloped him as he stepped inside.
The first thing he saw was a small table covered with different books, one of them still opened. The other thing he noticed was the body of an old man sitting cross-legged beside the table with his eyes closed and a smile on his lips. The old man was holding in his right hand a black flute and on his knees was resting a sword whose blade was adorned in silver models.
Sensing his presence, the old man opened his eyes and Yunchen felt himself drowning under the pressure emanating from them. He fell on his knees in front of the old man, barely able to breathe.
"Oh, finally someone has come. I've been waiting for such a long time that I almost gave up waiting and dissipated my last shred of consciousness."
Yunchen looked at the old man flabbergasted.
"Well, don't you have anything to say about the great chance you just got? A couple of years more and nothing would have remained of this place and myself. You really are lucky to have met me, boy."
Yunchen nodded and bowed in front of the old man.
"Senior, I apologize for not being able to realize my own fortune. It's just that I'm still a little confused as to how or why I ended up here. The last thing I remember is me being in the courtyard and the next thing I know I'm in the clearing outside this house."
The old man's smile grew wider seeing his confused expression.
"Seeing as I have not much time to talk to you about everything, let's just say that your soul came here as a result of your body's specific traits and demands for improvement. For you to be here, three conditions must be met. First, you must have reached the Venerable realm of cultivation, second you must be recognized by the Heavens and third, and the most important thing, is for you to have the same body type as me, meaning you are among the very few who are able to train in my special technique. Do you understand any of these concepts? Tell me now, before I disperse into the nothingness. I don't have much time left at my disposal, so you'll get three questions before you'll be on your own."
Yunchen was lost and didn't know what to do or what to say. It was too absurd for him to be in such a situation.
"Well, what are your questions?"
Yunchen looked at the old man in front of him pondering over what he should ask. Finally, he decided on the course of action and started asking.
"You said you were going to be dispersed into the nothingness, yet I'm to learn you special technique. How will I be able to do that without you showing me how to do it?"
The old man nodded. He pointed to the open book on the table beside him.
"This book contains everything I know about the technique. Study it carefully and you'll succeed."
Yunchen nodded while looking at the book.
"How am I supposed to read it with you dispersing and this place vanishing alongside you?"
The old man started laughing.
"Boy, you're a Venerable realm cultivator. Absorb the book inside your consciousness with your will. I'm surprised you don't know something so basic relating to your own possibilities. Simply reach your hand and will it to appear inside your consciousness."
He nodded once again while thinking how exactly will he be able to achieve something like that.
"Boy, after the next question you'll ask, I will be gone. You'll have around a week in order to get everything here inside your consciousness. It will help you with information and guidance along your way of cultivation. And now, what is your last question?"
Yunchen remained silent for a while. He didn't know what to ask. Finally seeing signs of impatience on the old man's face, he decided to ask something, anything just to get it over with. He felt there was no use in delaying it too much.
"What is so special about the body type requirement that so few are able to cultivate your technique?"
The old man smiled. He took the flute and started playing. At first nothing happened, then Yunchen felt himself losing control over his own body. At that moment, the sword took action and swept at him, stopping just short of his throat when the melody of the flute ended.
"It's one of the basic moves. The most important ingredient in learning the technique is your Yin Yang body. Without it, it's impossible to make the tiniest bit of progress. While you study this method, you'll understand better what it's capable of. And now, I'm finally free. When the house collapses you'll be sent back to your body. Good luck on your way and use my technique to bring it on new heights of glory."
The old man stood while smiling and nodded at Yunchen who was still on his knees. Then his body started to fade, turning transparent by the moment until he became invisible. A clang was heard as the sword hit the floor. The flute landed beside it with a thump. Then they started disintegrating at an accelerated pace. The flute was the first that rotted away and turned to dust. The sword was covered in rust in moments and started to melt away, turning in a reddish smudge on the floor.
Yunchen looked at it open-mouthed, wondering what just happened.